''Hathor'' (1905) is one of only eight surviving Norfolk wherries to be found on the
Norfolk
Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
Broads. Like two of the other surviving wherries, '' Maud'' and ''
Solace
Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one. It is typically provided by expressing shared regret for that loss and ...
'', she was built by Daniel S. Hall of Reedham. ''Hathor'' has been listed on the register of
National Historic Ships
National Historic Ships UK is a government-funded independent organisation that advises UK governments and others on matters relating to historic ships.
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
since 1996 and is part of the
National Historic Fleet
The National Historic Fleet is a list of historic ships and vessels located in the United Kingdom, under the National Historic Ships register. National Historic Ships UK is an advisory body which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media ...
.
History
''Hathor (pronounced Har-Tor)'' was built in 1905 for
Ethel
Ethel (also '' æthel'') is an Old English word meaning "noble", today often used as a feminine given name.
Etymology and historic usage
The word means ''æthel'' "noble".
It is frequently attested as the first element in Anglo-Saxon names, ...
and Helen Colman, daughters of
Jeremiah Colman
Jeremiah Colman (1777–1851) was an English miller who founded Colman's Mustard, a business which merged into the conglomerate Reckitt & Colman, and is now owned by Unilever.
Life
He was born in Norfolk in 1777 to Robert Colman (1749-1807) an ...
and
Caroline Colman
Caroline Colman (9 May 1831 - 5 July 1895) was the wife of Jeremiah James Colman, the third member of the family in charge of the eponymous company Colman's mustard. Caroline Colman had exerted significant influence over the social welfare of the ...
of the
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
Colman's Mustard
Colman's is an English manufacturer of mustard and other sauces, formerly based and produced for 160 years at Carrow, in Norwich, Norfolk. Owned by Unilever since 1995, Colman's is one of the oldest existing food brands, famous for a limited ran ...
dynasty. Ethel later became the first female Lord Mayor of Norwich in 1923. The wherry was named
Hathor
Hathor (, , , Meroitic language, Meroitic: ') was a major ancient Egyptian deities, goddess in ancient Egyptian religion who played a wide variety of roles. As a sky deity, she was the mother or consort of the sky god Horus and the sun god R ...
in memory of
Ethel
Ethel (also '' æthel'') is an Old English word meaning "noble", today often used as a feminine given name.
Etymology and historic usage
The word means ''æthel'' "noble".
It is frequently attested as the first element in Anglo-Saxon names, ...
and Helen's brother Alan Colman who had died in
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt. Luxor had a population of 263,109 in 2020, with an area of approximately and is the capital of the Luxor Governorate. It is among the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited c ...
in 1897 whilst on a convalescent trip with the family; they had travelled the Nile on a boat called ''Hathor''.
Hathor's interior was designed by architect Edward T Boardman, the husband of Florence Colman, sister of Ethel and Helen, and son of
Edward Boardman
Edward Boardman (1833–1910) was a Norwich born architect. He succeeded John Brown as the most successful Norwich architect in the second half of the 19th century.British Museum
The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
.
The cost of the basic wherry was £595; with an added £1057 spent on internal woodwork and £407 for other fitting out. ''Hathor'' had cabins to sleep six, with extra accommodation for the skipper and steward, and made her maiden voyage on 2 August 1905.
''Hathor'' remained in the Colman/Boardman family until 1954 when she was sold to Claud Hamilton, author of Hamilton's Guides to the Broads, who owned her for almost 10 years. She was then sold on and used as a houseboat (with a token mast) at Martham until 1985 when the Wherry Yacht Charter Trust purchased her in a dilapidated state and undertook an extensive two-year restoration.
''Hathor'' is currently in full sailing order and fitted out to charter standard.
Description
''Hathor'' is
clinker-built
Clinker-built, also known as lapstrake-built, is a method of boat building in which the edges of longitudinal (lengthwise-running) hull (watercraft), hull planks overlap each other.
The technique originated in Northern Europe, with the first know ...
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
architect
Edward Boardman
Edward Boardman (1833–1910) was a Norwich born architect. He succeeded John Brown as the most successful Norwich architect in the second half of the 19th century.quanting for propulsion.